How to Keep Pet Odor Down In the Home

April 16th, 2013

Pets are a popular staple nowadays in the American household. According to the American Pet Products Association’s (APPA), “New 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey, the number of U.S. households that own a pet has increased by 2.1% to an all-time high of 72.9 million.”

Dogs and cats release dander on a daily basis in your home. If you have pets and like to invite your friends and family over, it’s probably a good idea to keep your house clean and maintained in order to eliminate pet dander and pet odor.

Whenever a household has pet, you’re more than likely to come across a wide array of smells, and most of them are undesirable. The power of smell is a powerful factor that help gives off a first impression when a person enters a room. Vladirmir Nabokov said, “Nothing revives the past so completely, as a smell that was once associated with it.” It’s almost certain that your animal will leave pet hair and dander on your carpet, furniture, upholstery, and other drapery. Pet dander is the loose dermal skin cells which our pets regularly shed. Although pet hair can be easier to spot, pet dander is virtually invisible. The overexposure in your house to pet dander can in some cases lead to asthma, and other respiratory complications.

With the sweltering Texas summer months coming up, pet odor could potentially worsen due to a few factors. Certain types of bacteria tend to rapidly grow in warm or hot temperatures. Bacteria can be brought in from your animals from being outside, or urinating and defecating in the home. But, no need to fear, there are several easy and effective steps to take in order to prevent your home from becoming stinky and unpleasant.

Tips for Getting Rid of Pet Odors

- You want to keep the air flow circulating through your house, and avoid the presence of humidity as much as possible. Keep humidity down!

- Ideally, you want to keep your thermostat set around 72˚-74˚.

- It’s highly recommended to keep up with the maintenance of your air filters. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out when your air filters need to be changed, it’s simply whenever they’ve become dirty and dusty. Now if you have a dog or a cat, it’s recommended to change the filter every 60 days.

- During the daytime, keep your blinds or curtains closed. This will prevent the sunlight from passing through your home, and increasing the temperature.

- If your home already has a foul odor, air it out! Open up all the doors and windows, to let some fresh air circulate through your house.

- Vacuum on a routinely basis to pick up and dirt, debris, pet dander, or pet fur.

Following these steps is quite simple, and you will be amazed with how fresh and clean your home starts to smell. Just remember to pay more attention to keeping pet odor down in your home during the hotter summer months.